Empleo: Doctorado con focas!

FUNDING: This project is in competition for funding from various sources (UK research councils, Durham Doctoral Fellowships, charitable trusts). Success will depend on the quality of applications received, relative to those for competing projects.

It is now widely recognised that non-human animals have personalities, defined as individual behavioural differences that are consistent over time and/or across contexts. Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of personalities in a remarkably broad range of taxa from mammals to molluscs. Such personality traits have been shown to be heritable and therefore subject to selection, with potentially significant impacts on individual fitness. However, as yet the vast majority of studies of personality in non-human species have been restricted to laboratory studies, and there have been many recent calls for research that examines the ecological relevance of personality in natural systems.

This studentship will capitalise upon an existing long term study of individual variation in behaviour and reproductive performance in the grey seal to ask if maternal and offspring (pup) behavioural types (personalities) are correlated, and to examine the role of early personality type on social relationships in weaned pups.

The main objectives of this studentship will be:

(1) To test for correlations between maternal and offspring indices of behavioural type.

(2) To test whether offspring behavioural type is predicted by maternal behavioural type or maternal and/or pup state (body condition) and whether this differs for male and female pups. (3) To examine ontogenetic changes in pup behavioural types during lactation and beyond weaning.

(4) To examine the impact of behavioural type on the social behaviour of male and female weaned pups within the breeding colony.

The project will involve extensive field based behavioural observations of individually identified grey seals at breeding colonies around the UK combined with novel in-field quantitative experimental tests of individual personality. Candidates will require the ability to conduct prolonged field work in isolated and harsh conditions as part of a small field research team.

Candidates should demonstrate a capability for planning and implementing structured field observations and behavioural experiments. An understanding and appreciation of behavioural and evolutionary ecology is essential, and experience in multivariate statistics is desirable.

TRAINING:

The student will gain extensive training in field behavioural observation, compilation and maintenance of photo-ID database, spatial data manipulation and analyses within a GIS, statistical analyses (including quantifying personality and social associations), organisation of fieldwork logistics and safety in remote, isolated locations. The student will present work at national and international conferences.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

To take advantage of all funding possibilities, applications must be received by (or on) the 15th of February.